Hua Hin to Kuala Lumpur (KL) by Rail

[Big Boy]

Call me mad if you wish, but if I had a bucket list, this trip would be on it. It's a journey I've wanted to do for many years, but have never got around to it. I've got a friend visiting at the moment, and he wants to do the trip as well, so we're going soon.

All of the planning is done:

• Hua Hin to Pedang Besar by rail booked

• Hotel in KL booked

• Flight KL to Hua Hin booked

That leaves Pedang Besar to KL and I am stumped. I have registered for the KTM website, and the connecting trains don't connect. I'm hoping I'm not the only sad anorak on here and somebody can advise.

We arrive at 08:53 in Pedang Besar, which I presume is Thai time on the Thai side of the border. Train leaves Pedang Besar at 09:40, which I assume is Malaysian time, and is actually 13 minutes before we arrive. Next train is 13:45, which is a bloody long wait. Typical Thai organisation (maybe Malaysian) – the connecting trains don’t connect. The only saving grace is that Thai trains are notoriously late, so it would be a miracle arriving in Pedang Besar at 08:53, or even 11:53.

So has anybody done it? Am I right about the non-connecting train, or am I missing something somewhere please?

[buksida]

I've done the journey to Butterworth from Bangsaphan. Malaysian time is 1 hour difference which explains the discrepancy. Yes, the trains link up but you have to get off the Thai train at the border, go through immigration and get back onto a Malay train. As you've observed though they're not always on time!

https://www.seat61.com/Malaysia.htm#Sou ... _timetable

[lomuamart]

I've only ever done HH to Butterworth (Penang).

That train goes through Pedang Besar where you get off on one end of the platform in Thailand and go through the other end into Malaysia. It's the same train. The border and customs are half way along the platform.

Now, maybe that train terminates in Butterworth but I'd hazard a guess that it doesn't and it goes on to KL.

As said, I've never taken it further south than Butterworth so hopefully others can confirm things.

[lomuamart]

I see Buksi's reply. But, at Pedang Besar, I definitely got back on the same train and carriage despite having gone through a border.

The restaurant car had changed but that was all. I even left stuff on the train. Just took my passport for Imm. Same same train.

My last time doing that was some 10 years ago so things might have changed?

[Scout]

I took the train last December, Hua Hin to Pedang Besar. Transited Immigration immediately, then boarded a Malaysian train and continued on to Butterworth. We’d been told by others that had previously made the same journey that it would be the same train that we’d traveled on in Thailand but that was not our experience. The Thai train was old, tired and had obviously made the trip many times, the sleeper unit was comfortable but a bit short ( had to lay diagonally) and your suitcase has to ride in the sleeper with you. The Malaysian train was ultra modern, clean and fast. The trip from Pedang Besar to Butterworth took a little over 2 hours and made brief stops at well over a dozen stations, all of them looked ultra modern, like they were brand new. We took the ferry to Georgetown on Penang, stayed 4 days at a nice beachside resort and had planned to continue on to KL from Butterworth, but found that because we hadn’t made advance reservations on the train we would have to wait 3 days as all trains were full. Instead we went to the Georgetown airport, bought tickets and 2 hours later landed in kL. We’d made advance reservations on the Internet for every leg and aspect of our journey, but for some reason we couldn’t figure out how to make rail reservations in Malaysia.

[HHTel]

Like Buksi, I've done this trip some years ago and at the time, it was definitely the same train at both sides of the border. It does go on to KL after Butterworth. But as said, things change.

This is from their website:

The first stage of the journey from Hua Hin to Padang Besar in Malaysia is scheduled to take 13 hours 40 minutes. For the second stage of the journey to Kuala Lumpur you need to change trains at Padang Besar for further train journey of around 5 hours 30 minutes before arriving in Kuala Lumpur.

http://www.thailandtrains.com/train-tim ... la-lumpur/

[Big Boy]

Thanks guys, as part of my research, I did find it quoted that the Thai trains no longer go beyond Pedang Besar (I've seen trains with Butterworth written on the side in the past, so obviously they did previously).

HHTel's link takes me to the KTM website that I registered with earlier. I guess my query is does the 09:40 am train wait for the 08:53 train to arrive? If not the next train is shown as 13:45, which seems crazy on what I guess is an important commuter route (maybe it isn't).

Are there trains other than the fast KTM train, or is that the only show in town?

I've also been reading that the Pedang Besar train gets very full, and it recommends booking in advance i.e. when it's full, it's full. Is this true, or just a marketing ploy?There are currently >200 seats left on both the 09:40 and 13:45 trains, so no panic just yet.

[Sabai Jai]

I think if you search for the ETS Trains instead of KTM you will find details for the much more comfortable express trains from Padang Besar to KL. There were changes last year, ETS may no longer go to Butterworth but almost certainly goes to KL. KTM Commuter trains go to Butterworth new station. some links below. I visit friends living in Penang and there have been a number of changes in the last 2-3 years here.

https://www.train36.com/ets-timetable.html
http://www.ktmb.com.my/ETS.html

Regards Sabai Jai

[Big Boy]

I think KTM run the ETS trains. I've checked the KTMB website, and the trains referred to are ETS.

I've had a response from KTMB:

Thank you for choosing KTMB. Pertaining to your email, kindly informed that there is a ETS train from Padang Besar at 0940am,1345pm,1555pm and 1650pm.

If you choose ETS train at 1345pm, the tickets still available 221 seats. Nevertheless, we herewith enclosed the ticket purchase options for your kind perusal :

* Via KTMB's official website at www.ktmb.com.my - at least 4 hours before train departure time.
* KTMB Mobile application
* Counter purchase at selected KTM Intercity/ETS stations

So it looks like the 13:45 - at least I shouldn't be too bothered about the Thai train arriving late.

[Sabai Jai]

Hmm, bit of a wait at Padang Besar Station which is a dump but better than being stressed about missing your connection. The size and speed of the queue at Passport control is always unpredictable. I was impressed by the ETS trains, particularly after stepping off the Thai train - I believe there is some sort of refreshment car (there are restrictions about taking your own food on board) and they also have a toilet onboard, the KTM Kommuter do not.
Food on the Thai train was dismal last time I took it.

Hope you have a good trip

[Big Boy]

Thank you. I've booked a half decent KL hotel, so I'm sure I'll recover quickly

[Scout]

When we took the trip last December we boarded the train right on the scheduled time, then the train sat there on the siding at Hua Hin station for about an hour and a half, for some unknown reason, before it finally departed. We had only brought 1 water bottle each when we boarded, I made a note to bring 3 each the next time we travel that route.

[HHTel]

This happens with a single track system. One hiccup is all it needs to cause problems.